An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s8: 12.8 Relics and Relic Caskets
An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s8
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12.8 Relics and Relic Caskets
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According to Buddhist texts the corporeal relics of Buddha, collected from the funeral pyre at KUSINAGARA where he attained his *nirvāṇa*, were divided into eight shares and were distributed among king Ajātaśatru of Magadha, the Licchavis of VAIŚĀLĪ, the Śākyas of KAPILAVASTU, the Mallas of KUŚINAGARA, the Mallas of Pāvā, the Bulis of Allakappa, the Koliyas of Rāmagrāma and a Brāhmaṇa of Veṭhadīpa for erecting *stūpas* over these bone relics. Two more *stūpas* came into existence immediately after his death: one was erected by Droṇa over the urn in which the bones had been collected and the other was constructed by the Moriyas of Pipphalivana over the charcoal collected from the funeral pyre. It is stated that Aśoka (c. 273-36 BC) opened up seven of these eight *śarīrika stūpas* (*stūpas* over bodily remains) and collected major portions of the relics for enshrinement within innumerable *stūpas* built by him.
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Evidence from SANCHI, Andher, Satdhara and Sonari all in c. India, shows that the example set by Aśoka in the dissemination of Buddha's relics was followed in the 2nd-1st century B.C. in respect not only of his direct disciples like Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana but of later distinguished teachers. Portions of bones were evidently collected from their original deposits for enshrinement in *stūpas* erected in different parts of the country. In later periods small *stūpas* were built over the corporeal relics of the important monks as well.
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The Buddhist *stūpas* may broadly be classified into four categories: (1) *śārīrika*, (2) *pāribhogika*, (3) *auddeśika*, and (4) votive. The *śārīrika stūpas* are those containing within the corporeal relics of Buddha or his direct disciples and Buddhist teachers and monks; in many cases along with the charred bones were deposited precious and semiprecious objects. The *pāribhogika stūpas* were erected over objects, like begging bowl, believed to have been used by Buddha. The *auddeśika* ones were commemorative of the incidents of Buddha's life including those of his previous births or of spots hallowed by his presence. Both Fa-Hien and Hiuen Tsang saw a good number of such *stūpas*. The votive *stūpas* were the pious dedications of pilgrims actuated by the desire of earning religious merit; within the core of many of these *stūpas* are found images of Buddha and Buddhist divinities, Buddhist texts, discs and tablets with the Buddhist creed with or without Buddhist figures, slabs and plates inscribed with the *Pratītyasamutpāda-sūtra* and plaques and slabs inscribed with *dhāraṇīs*.
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Though many *stūpas* have yielded charred bones, it has not been possible to identify the concerned persons in most cases owing to the absence of inscriptions mentioning the names of the persons whose bones were enshrined. Though Hiuen Tsang noticed a large number of *stūpas* built by Aśoka throughout the country, very few can be identified for lack of definite evidence. In fact no relic casket bearing the name of Aśoka as the donor of the casket or the builder of the *stūpa* has so far been found. In the core of the Dharmarājikā Stūpa at SARNATH attributed to Aśoka was found a sandstone box. Inside the box was a green marble relic casket containing a few pieces of bone, decayed pearls, gold leaves and some not costly jewels. The nucleus of the Dharmarājikā Stūpa at Taxila is also believed to have been built by Aśoka. Though no relics were found inside, from one of the smaller *stūpas* by its side relics were recovered. In the relic chamber of this *stūpa* were discovered four earthen lamps, four coins and a steatite vase; the vase contained a gold casket together with three gold safetypins and beads of ruby, garnet, amethyst and crystal; within the gold casket were beads of bone and ruby with pieces of silver leaf, coral and stone, apart from bone relic. Other *stūpas* and shrines at Taxila produced a good number of relics (Marshall, 1951). In fact close to the small *stūpa* just mentioned a small shrine yielded a silver vase placed within a schist vessel; within the vase was a gold relic casket with some minute bone relics and an inscribed silver scroll recording the enshrinement of the relics of Buddha in the Bodhisattva shrine. The relic chamber of the colossal *stūpa* built by Kaniṣka at Peshawar yielded an inscribed metal casket containing a hexagonal crystal reliquary holding three pieces of bones believed to be of Buddha; on the body and lid of the inscribed casket are figures of Buddha.
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The reliquaries, with or without relic chambers, were placed usually at the centre of the *stūpas*. However there are instances where they have been found away from the centre; this device was probably to forestall attempts at the removal of the relics. Thus in the Mahācaitya of NAGARJUNAKONDA the casket was found within one of the outermost compartments. In Stūpa 9 of the same place the casket was found at the junction of the outer rim and the *āyaka* platform. Five crystal relic caskets were found in the slots of two stones within the core of the s. *āyaka* of the Mahā-caitya at AMARAVATI (*IAR 1957-8*, p. 11. *1958-9*, p. 5). In the *stūpas* the reliquaries have been recovered from different depths, the lowest being below the structure of the *stūpa* itself.
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Considerable care was taken to ensure the safe holding of the sacred bone relics by a succession of encasements. Thus the gold relic caskets found within the *stūpa* at Mirpur Khas in Sind was encased by a silver cylindrical casket which was within a crystal casket covered by a stone coffer. Even more meticulous care was noticed in Stūpa 8 at NAGARJUNAKONDA where the bone relic was preserved in a series of caskets, one within the other, the innermost one being of gold, the next of silver, the third of copper, the next of glazed earthenware and the outermost of stone.
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The number of relic caskets found throughout India is indeed numerous and as all of them cannot and need not be described here the finds from some selected *stūpas* are noticed below and these will furnish a comprehensive idea about the shapes and materials of the reliquaries and deposits within.
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The mud *stūpa* at VAIŚĀLĪ has been identified by A.S. Altekar, the excavator, with the one raised by the Licchavis over the relics of Buddha, on account of the primitive feature of the *stūpa*, the location of which has been thought to correspond to Hiuen Tsang's location of the *stūpa* of the Licchavis. However the identification is not beyond dispute. This *stūpa* yielded a small soapstone casket containing a small quantity of ashy earth, a piece of gold leaf, two glass beads, a small conch and a copper punch-marked coin [3.1]. The reliquary together with the knobbed lid presents a globular profile (*IAR 1957-8*, p. 11; *1958-9*, p. 5).
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A singular deposit has been encountered within the main *stūpa* of PIPRAHWA identified with a part of Kapilavastu. In 1898 W.C. Peppé sank a shaft through the centre of the *stūpa* (Peppé, 1898). At a depth of 3·05 m from the top was found a small broken soapstone vase containing some beads, crystal pieces, gold ornaments, cut stars, etc. At a lower depth, nearly 60 cm above the base of the bottom brick course, was found a sandstone coffer, 1·34 m long at the base, 8·45 cm wide at the base and 66 cm high together with the fitting lid. Inside the coffer were, besides pieces of wooden vessels, (1) a steatite casket of two component parts with a prominent base, a globular body, a pronounced flange and a vase-shaped top member having a conical pinnacle, 19 cm high and 11·5 cm in maximum diameter; (2) a similar but inscribed casket of the same material, 15·2 cm high and 10·8 cm in maximum diameter; (3) a roughly *loṭā*-shaped steatite vessel, 13·3 cm high and 14·5 cm in maximum diameter; (4) a low somewhat cylindrical steatite casket of two component parts with a conical knob at the top and a depression around the body, 9·5 cm in maximum diameter and 5·7 cm high; and (5) an exquisitely polished crystal casket with a globular body, 10·8 cm in maximum diameter and 11·4 cm high. The handle of the last is in the shape of a hollow fish stuffed with seven gold bands having gold granulated flowers and gold circular frames attached to them and several tiny beads in paste. Numbering several hundreds, the contents of these caskets included, apart from pieces of bone, gold leaves impressed with various symbols like *svastika*, *tri-ratna*, triangle-headed standard, etc., impressions of two female figures on gold leaf, figures of animals like lion and elephant in gold leaf, gold and silver flowers and stars, a tiny amulet like gold box, gold *tri-ratnas*, a gold disc impressed with connected spirals, plain gold bars, rolls of gold leaves, pearls, a carnelian bird, a malachite bird, delicately fashioned leaves, seed vessels, *tri-ratnas* and flowers in semiprecious minerals, fragments of coral, beads of various shapes in gold, silver, semiprecious minerals and coral, cut semiprecious stones, pieces of mica and a spirally rolled copper wire. The inscription, in characters of the 3rd century B.C., on one of these caskets mentions the name of Buddha. The excavation by the ASI in 1971-2 led to the discovery of two more steatite caskets similar in shape to the inscribed one found earlier within brick containers, about 5 cm below the bottom brick course of the *stūpa*. These caskets contained pieces of half-burnt bone.
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The nucleus of the greatly denuded Mahā-caitya at AMARAVATI was most probably as old as the 3rd century B.C., though it underwent additions and embellishments till the 2nd-3rd century A.D. While digging the *stūpa* for securing building materials, the local zemindar found a stone box containing a crystal casket, inside which were a small pearl and some small leaves of gold (Rea, 1894). The excavation conducted at the *stūpa* in 1958-9 yielded five crystal caskets in the slots of two stones within the core of the southern *āyaka* (*c*. 2nd century A.D.) of the *stūpa*. Four of these caskets are *stūpa*-shaped, while the fifth is somewhat cylindrical. The caskets yielded bones, beads, pearls, semiprecious stones and gold flowers. Within the precincts of the *stūpa* was found a gold casket with six gold flowers and a piece of bone inside an earthen vessel.
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The main *stūpa* at Bhattiprolu, Dt Guntur, was particularly rich in its yield of relic caskets (Rea, 1894). In the course of the denudation of the *stūpa* was found a crystal reliquary containing some ashes, a few bits of gold leaf and a pearl; this reliquary was inside a soapstone casket enclosed by an earthen vessel. Later, in 1892, were discovered three inscribed stone receptacles at different depths, all near the hole that ran through the centre of the *stūpa*. Inside the topmost receptacle were found a globular black-stone casket, a copper ring and bits, two pearls, beads, a metal casket made of two hemispherical cups, an inscribed hexagonal crystal bead, gold flowers and gold *tri-ratnas*. The globular stone casket contained in its turn 24 silver coins, gold and copper flowers, beads, pearls and a crystal reliquary bearing a piece of bone of Buddha as attested by one of the inscriptions (*c.* 200-100 B.C.) on the receptacle. The crystal reliquary is roughly cylindrical in shape, moulded on the sides and flat on the top and bottom. The second receptacle produced a crystal casket and other precious objects including 164 gold flowers and an inscribed strip of silver. The casket simulates the form of a double *ghaṭa*, the upper one having a conical pinnacle. The lowest receptacle yielded a crystal casket, similar to the preceding, a tiny beryl relic casket roughly octagonal on plan and having a domical top, containing three pieces of bone and other objects like beads, pearls, gold flowers, etc.
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The nucleus, attributed to Aśoka, of the main *stūpa* at SANCHI did not yield any relics but in the relic chamber of Stūpa 3 (2nd century B.C.) were found two stone boxes inscribed with the names of Sāriputra and Mahā-Mogalāna, the two foremost disciples of Buddha (Cunningham, 1854). Sāriputra's box contained a white steatite relic casket, 15·2 cm broad and 7·6 cm high, covered by a thin earthen saucer of lustrous black ware [NBPW, 11.16?], along with two pieces of sandalwood. Inside the casket were found a small fragment of bone and seven beads, variously of pearl, garnet, lapis lazuli, crystal and amethyst. The relic casket has a ring base, cylindrical body with mouldings and a conical crown. In Maudgalyāyana's box there was another steatite relic casket, somewhat smaller in size, containing two fragments of bone. This casket has curved sides. Within the relic chamber of Stūpa 2 (2nd century B C ) was found an inscribed sandstone box containing four steatite relic caskets bearing pieces of burnt bone. These caskets, circular on plan, have a flat base, curved exterior sides and a conical member at the top. Each of these reliquaries is inscribed with the names of the respective persons whose bones were deposited within. There are altogether ten names—Kāsanagota, Majhima, Hāritīputa, Vachīya-Suvijayata, Mahavanāya, Āpagira, Kodinīputa, Kosikīputa, Gotīputa and Mogalīputa. Thus this *stūpa* entombed the corporeal relics of at least three generations of teachers, of whom two were contemporaries of Aśoka.
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Stūpa 2, 2nd century B.C., of Satdhara, Dt Raisen, yielded two small steatite relic caskets containing a few calcined bones (Cunningham, 1854). The inner side of the lids were inscribed, one with *Sāriputasa* and the other with *Mahā-Mogalānasa*. Both the caskets, 5 cm high, have a convex bottom and a small conical member at the crown. Sāriputra's casket has a mildly tapering body, while the body of the Maudgalyāyana's casket presents a concave curvature. Within the relic chamber (located at the centre) of Stūpa 7 were found two earthen covers with domical tops. Inside both of them was an earthen box closed by a domed lid. Within one of these boxes was an earthen *ghaṭa*-shaped vase containing relics. The other box yielded two small relic caskets, one of steatite and the other of red earthenware, both with a flat base, moulded sides and a conical member at the crown.
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Stūpa 2 (2nd century B C.) of Sonari, Dt Raisen, yielded a large steatite vase decorated with motifs representing animals within compartments, flowers and petals (Cunningham, 1854). Inside the vase were five relic caskets, each inscribed with the name of the teacher whose bone was interred within. These teachers were Kāsapagota, Majhima, Gotīputa, Kosikīputa and Alabagira. Three of these caskets are of steatite and present a projecting flat base, a globular body and a pinnacled top. The fourth one is a flattish round reliquary of crystal. The somewhat pear-shaped fifth casket, with a projecting flat base, of black steatite is decorated with a succession of triangles, alternately plain and hatched. Stūpa 1 of this place produced four caskets, placed one within the other. The outermost casket and the next one, both of stone, have a flat base, cylindrical body and a convex top. The third one, also of stone, presents the shape of a double *ghaṭa*, one above the other, the upper one having a pinnacled top, disc base and spherical body. Inside this was a small crystal casket with a disc base, globular body and knob at the crown.
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Within the relic chamber of Stūpa 2 at Bhojpur (Cunningham, 1854) was found a hemispherical earthen cover beneath which was a red earthen pot, with a convex base and tapering body, covered by a knobbed lid bearing traces of letters in ink. Inside it was a fine crystal *stūpa*-shaped reliquary containing minute pieces of bones. Within the earthen pot were also small pieces of bone, apart from four thin round bits of gold, one bead of garnet, one crystal bead, two beads of pale greenish crystal and fragments of pearl. Inside the relic chamber of Stūpa 4 of this place was encountered a black earthen box containing an earthen bowl covered by an earthen lid, on which was the letter *mu* in characters of the 2nd century B.C. Within the bowl was a small crystal relic casket with concave curvature at the sides and flat bottom and top. The relic chamber of Stūpa 7 yielded two earthen pots, one within a red earthen box, one inscribed with *Patito* and the other with *Upahitakasa* in characters of the 2nd century B.C., the pots have a flat base, convex body, sloping shoulder and concave neck. Inside the relic chamber of Stūpa 9 was found a large earthen vase with a projecting flat base, convex body and somewhat conical top; within the vase was a steatite casket, similar to the vase, but doubled (one above the other), containing an abundance of human bones. The relic chamber of Stūpa 10 yielded an earthen box and part of a second one; inside the box were a few small pieces of bone. Stūpa 11 produced a round earthen jar full of bits of bone. Stūpa 17 had two relic chambers containing fragments of earthen pots and bits of bone. Stūpa 23 yielded three jars of earthenware.
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Fig. 49. Relic caskets: 1, Vaiśalī; 2, 3, 4, Piprahwa; 5, 6, Sanchi; 7, Bhojpur; 8, 9, Sonari; 10–12, Andher; 13, Amaravati
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Stūpa 1 of Andher, Bawalia and Hakeemkhedi, Dt Raisen, had two relic chambers (Cunningham, 1854). The upper chamber contained a cylindrical stone box containing black ashes; the lid of the box is somewhat domical in shape. The lower chamber produced four vessels of earthenware, one within the other; the outermost is hemispherical, the next two bowl-shaped and the innermost, covered by a lid, *ghaṭa*-shaped. Inside Stūpa 2 (2nd century B.C.) was found, apart from a large spouted steatite vase, a large box of red earthenware containing a small casket of red ware and a tall steatite casket, both inscribed. The outer side of the casket, with a convex bottom, straight sides and convex top, bears the name of Vāchiputa. The tall bottle-shaped steatite casket, with a flat base, cylindrical body and a curved and knobbed top, with bands of moulding and triangles, alternately plain and hatched, on the body bears the name of Gotiputa. The large steatite vase, with a corrugated base and neck, pronouncedly convex body and an out-turned rim, decorated with figures of animals and petals, bears on the rim an inscription mentioning Mogaliputa. Within the relic chamber of Stūpa 3 was a large receptacle of red earthenware containing a tall bottle-shaped steatite casket bearing bones. The lid of the casket bears the name of Hāritīputa.
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Some of the *stūpas* of NAGARJUNAKONDA yielded relics (Longhurst, 1938). Out of these relics the fragment of bone found within the Mahā-caitya (Stūpa 1) is alone believed to have been of Buddha. It was placed in a small globular gold reliquary, the latter with a few gold flowers, pearls, garnets and crystals kept inside a silver *stūpa*-shaped casket; the silver casket in its turn with three large crystal beads and an ear stud was deposited in an earthen pot. Stūpa 2 yielded two *stūpa*-shaped caskets, one of gold and another of silver, dome-shaped miniature *stūpas* in amethyst and turquoise, beads of pearl, bone, coral and lapis lazuli and gold-leaf flowers. A tiny bone relic was found within a gold reliquary with a disc base, globular body and a conical member at the crown, which was inside a gold *stūpa*-shaped casket within Stūpa 31. The second casket, along with gold-leaf flowers, pearls and coral beads and the like; was in its turn within a silver casket with a globular body and a top handle; the silver casket was within an earthen pot. Stūpa 4 produced a gold *stūpa*-shaped reliquary which was within a silver *stūpa*-shaped reliquary, the latter containing gold-leaf flowers, a crystal pendant, pearls, coral beads and the like. The silver casket was within a globular earthen pot covered by a red earthen saucer on the top of which was a food bowl. Apart from this deposit, evidently meant for the ashes of a distinguished teacher, there were 12 earthen pots covered with inverted food bowls and six begging bowls within other chambers of the *stūpa*; the pots contained bone ash, presumably of monks. Within Stūpa 5 were found, apart from earthenware pots containing ashes and bowls, pieces of semiprecious stone, pearls, corals and beads of semiprecious stones. Stūpa 6 yielded a gold reliquary with a flat base, convex profile and knobbed top inside a crushed silver casket with a globular body and knobbed top; the relics include a bone piece found within the gold reliquary and other objects like gold-leaf flowers, two gold medallions, coral beads and pearls. Stūpa 8 produced five *stūpa*-shaped relic caskets, found one within the other, the outermost of stone, the next of glazed earthenware, the third of copper, the fourth of silver and the innermost of gold. The relics found within the gold reliquary included a bone piece, gold flowers, pearls and coral beads. Stūpa 8 A yielded a gold reliquary with a low cylindrical body and hemispherical member on the top, containing bone ash and three pearls; the reliquary was within a *stūpa*-shaped silver casket which also contained gold flowers, pearls and beads. Within Stūpa 9 was found an earthen pot containing a silver casket with a flat base, a globular body and a knobbed top, beads, a crystal hemispherical object and a blue stone piece. Inside the silver casket was a gold reliquary with a button-base, convex body and a hemispherical knob at the top.
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The main *stūpa* at DEVNIMORI yielded two stone caskets, both of them within earthen pots. The casket with a flat base, cylindrical body and flattish knob at the top, which was found below the bottom brick course of the *stūpa*, contained only ashes. The second casket with a flat base, cylindrical body and globular knob resting on mouldings at the top, which lay within the core of the brickwork of the *stūpa*, is inscribed with the *Pratītyasamutpāda-sūtra* and a dedicatory record, from which it is gathered that this casket was made for interring the corporeal relics of Daśabala (Buddha). Within the casket were gold and silver foils and other material, apart from a copper pot with a flat base and top and a somewhat sloping body containing silk bags, a gold bottle with an oval body and screw-type neck and some organic material.
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Within the brick relic chamber in the centre of the *stūpa* at Sopara, Dt Thana, was found a stone coffer with a convex base, sides and top (Indraji, 1881-2). It contained, one within other, five caskets, respectively of copper, silver, stone (?), crystal and gold, the last four *ghaṭa*-shaped. The gold casket with a globular body decorated with the design of inter-locking spirals contained, besides ten gold flowers, a piece of green glass and a spark of diamond, 13 tiny pieces of earthenware which are generally believed to be pieces of the begging bowl of Buddha. Inside the silver and crystal caskets were respectively 86 and 19 gold flowers. The maximum deposit was in the copper casket and comprised 295 gold flowers; a piece of silver wire, 13 pieces of semiprecious stones and green glass, a little patch of gold leaf, 31 stone beads, some gold beads, a small gold plaque pressed with the seated figure of Buddha and a silver coin of the Sātavāhana king Gautamīputra Yajña Sātakarṇi of the late 2nd century A.D. Around the copper casket and within the stone coffer were found arranged in a circle eight beautiful copper (or bronze) images of the 8th-9th century, representing seven Mānuṣi-Buddhas and Maitreya.
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From the above survey it is evident that considerable attention was paid for the relic caskets and the deposits contained within them. The caskets were of various shapes, and the materials used were different kinds of stones including crystal and beryl, copper (or bronze), silver, gold and earthenware. The selection of the material, finish of the caskets and deposits depended not only on the importance of the persons whose remains were to be consecrated but also on the inclination and means of the donors. Thus at RATNAGIRI relic caskets were mostly earthen vases or plain stone blocks with sockets. In Stūpa 3 of this place the reliquary was just a brick with a cavity, its lid being a fragmentary brick. In some *stūpas* there were no caskets at all, the bones having been deposited within a socket made in the stone platform or drum of the *stūpas*; the sockets were usually plugged by stone pieces.
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Cunningham, A., 1854, *Bhilsa Topes*, London. Indraji, B., 1881-2, in *Jour. Bombay Branch Royal Asiatic Soc.*, 15, pp. 292-315. Marshall, J., 1951, *Taxila*, Cambridge. Mitra, D., 1971, *Buddhist Monuments*, Calcutta. Peppé, W.C., 1898, in *Jour. Royal Asiatic Soc.*, pp. 573-8. Rea, A., 1894, *S. Indian Buddhist Antiquities*, New Imperial Series, ASI, 15, Madras. For sites see respective entries in vol. II.—D. MITRA